Northwestern used a big second half to pull away and defeat 24th-ranked Hastings 97-75 on senior day played today at the Bultman Center. The Red Raiders improve to 17-3 in the GPAC, 23-3 overall; Hastings has its six-game win streak snapped and falls to 11-9 in the conference, 16-11 overall. 

With the score knotted at 51 with 7:15 left in the third quarter, Northwestern scored the next nine points, seven by Kassidy De Jong, and used an 18-5 run to open up a 69-56 advantage. Bre Schuiteman knocked down a three-pointer and Anna Kiel scored on back-to-back possessions to finish off the decisive run. The Red Raiders held a 10-point advantage by quarters end, 71-61. 

Another Schuiteman three-pointer in the midst of a decisive 9-0 Northwestern run put the hosts up 80-61 with three minutes gone by in the final quarter. A basket by Taylor VanderVelde pushed the Red Raiders lead to 21 during the final minutes and they held their largest advantage by games end, 97-75.

De Jong scored a game-high 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, her ninth double-double of the season, and Schuiteman scored a career-high 17 points, knocking down a career-best five three-pointers. Haley Birks added 16 points and Kiel came off the bench to score 14 points, going 6-for-7 from the field. 

Northwestern shot 67% for the game, 78% in the second half where they missed just six shots from the field (21/27) over the final 20 minutes. The Red Raiders dominated the glass, 43-19, and totaled 26 assists, seven by Jada Cunningham. 

The Red Raiders were down the entire first quarter nad trailed by two, 20-18, after the first period. The lead switched hands four times in back and forth second quarter, ending with a 6-0 Northwestern run to put the hosts up 44-40 at the half. Schuiteman hit a three-pointer during the final minute and Cunningham scored on a lay-up and made 1-of-2 free throws to close the half. 

Hastings shot 43% for the game and was led by Taylor Beacom with 17 points, followed by Sophia Pankratz with 14.